70% of Malware Related to Cyber Crime
Seventy percent of malware detected during the first quarter of 2006 was related to cyber crime and more specifically, to generating financial returns. This is one of the conclusions of the newly published PandaLabs report, which offers a global vision of malware activity over the first three months of the year. Similarly, the report offers a day by day analysis of the most important events in this area. This report can be downloaded, free of charge, from: http://www.pandasoftware.com/pandalabsQ12006/
One of the principal conclusions of the report is the confirmation of the new malware dynamic, in which financial profit has become a priority. The figures speak for themselves: of all malware detected by the Panda ActiveScan free online scanner between January and March 2006, some 40 percent was spyware, a type of malicious code used specifically for financial gain, primarily through the collection of data regarding users’ Internet movements. On the other hand, Trojans, including Banker Trojans that steal confidential data related to bank services and Droppers or Downloaders that download all types of malicious applications onto systems, account for 17 percent of the total. Dialers — malicious code that dials up premium-rate numbers without a user’s knowledge — were responsible for 8 percent of the total, while bots — a type of malware used in an elaborate business model involving the sale or rental of networks of infected computers — accounted for four percent of the total.
Another statistic that confirms this new dynamic is that the traditional e-mail worm, until recently the major player on the Internet threat scene, made up only four percent of the total. According to Luis Corrons, director of PandaLabs, “Epidemics caused by e-mail worms stir up too much publicity and are therefore no use when it comes to generating profits. Currently, the types of malware we are seeing more of are those such as spyware, Trojans and bots, which can be installed silently and remain hidden on systems while they operate maliciously.”
Secure Computing Opens ME Headquarters
Secure Computing Corporation, a leading developer of specialized solutions that secure the connections between people, applications and networks, has recently opened its new office in Dubai, at the Dubai Internet City. The Dubai office will serve as the company’s regional headquarters in the Middle East. The opening of the new office comes close on the heels of Secure Computing’s merger with CyberGuard.
“The Middle East is one of the focus markets of Secure Computing, and the opening of the new office is in keeping with our strategy to step up efforts to fully tap the potential for enterprise security solutions in the region,” said Sami Mulla, director, Middle East, Secure Computing.
“Balancing security and accessibility has emerged as one of the key challenges facing enterprises in the Middle East. Secure Computing boasts a proven track record, with more than 20 years of industry experience and more than 17,000 customers worldwide.”
The Secure Computing product portfolio includes state-of-the-art solutions such as SafeWord, SmartFilter and Sidewinder G2. SafeWord is an advanced solution that eliminates the password risk by delivering strong authentication to organizations’ networks and resources.
SmartFilter Web filtering protects organizations from risks associated with Internet use, providing an additional layer of security and reducing network congestion and performance issues resulting from bandwidth intensive content. The Sidewinder G2 Security Appliance is a self-defending platform that consolidates all major Internet security functions in one system. Built on a unique Zero-hour Attack Protections (ZAP) technology, Sidewinder G2 defends networks and applications from all types of Internet threats, both known and unknown.
VerifEye Intelligent Video Security Software
MDI Security Systems, a subsidiary of MDI, Inc., has made available their VerifEye IVS automated video data analysis and intelligent object recognition software. The software provides automated real-time object tracking and identification, smart motion analysis, video intelligence extraction (from analog or digital streams of live or stored video) and customizable alert reporting when exceptions occur.
VerifEye detects, identifies, recognizes, classifies and tracks objects as they appear into a camera’s field of view. It then immediately generates alarms or triggers alerts based on customized events established by the user. Alert information includes, but is not limited to, event type, priority, object type, object ID, color, size, position, speed, location, time, direction and distinct behavior.
The product has numerous flexible output and alerting capabilities.
VerifEye was designed to make use of the data produced by the camera as it happens and therefore works with a variety of analog, digital and network cameras. It can accept raw uncompressed video or MPG1, MPG4, MJPG, H263 and AVI formats. The system can be deployed at either the front-edge of the security network with the camera and DVR, or at the backend behind the network or Internet.
